Chapter 77: Commercial Performance

At one o’clock in the afternoon, Zhou Miao arrived at a large commercial complex in Beijing in his nanny van, and by then the place was already packed inside and out with throngs of people.

For the past few weeks, Zhou Miao had been busy with commercial performances whenever he didn’t have classes, much to Zuo Qiu’s delight—so much so that she arranged for two bodyguards to accompany him overnight.

The moment Zhou Miao stepped out of the car, his fans surged toward him like a frenzy, hands reaching out desperately to touch him, the click of camera shutters filling the air around him. Thankfully, the two bodyguards stood on the outermost edge, absorbing all the chaos, allowing Zhou Miao to stride quickly into the mall without lingering.

Only after entering the mall did Zhou Miao realize that the crowd outside was merely those who hadn’t managed to squeeze inside. The interior was now overflowing with people; looking up, he saw that each of the seven floors’ railings was lined with spectators, many clutching binoculars. Zhou Miao couldn’t help but worry about the possibility—if the railings couldn’t bear the weight and snapped...

Nonsense! Don’t jinx it!

Led by staff, Zhou Miao was brought to the mall’s designated lounge, where, to his surprise, he found Zhang Han, the host of “Personal Customization,” waiting for him.

“Han, it’s been ages! I didn’t expect to see you here,” Zhou Miao greeted him with genuine delight. Today’s commercial event included not only a few songs but also some interactive games with the host. With Zhang Han present, Zhou Miao felt reassured—after all, they were old acquaintances.

Zhang Han patted the sofa beside him. “You finally made it. Come, have a seat. I’ve been bored out of my mind waiting here.”

After sitting down, Zhou Miao asked, “I haven’t watched variety shows in ages. How’s ‘Personal Customization’ doing lately?”

Zhang Han gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “It’s over. Except for your episode, the ratings were lackluster. We tried making some adjustments, but it didn’t help much. It looks like there won’t be a second season.”

Life truly is full of ups and downs. Zhao Weiming had just clinched the top ratings for the final season of “Transformation” and was raking in bonuses, even earning newfound respect from the station chief.

When “Personal Customization” was first proposed, Zhang Han had worked tirelessly to secure the host’s role, all for the chance at a new hit. Who would have thought the director of a ratings champion would flop so spectacularly with his next show? Zhang Han was nearly beside himself with frustration.

It could only be said that Zhou Miao had elevated “Transformation” and Zhao Weiming to a level they never belonged.

By contrast, after Zhou Miao left “Transformation,” his life seemed charmed: every song he wrote became a hit, his debut solo album shattered digital sales records.

What does it mean to be wildly popular? To be the hottest star of the moment? To be international...

He might not yet be a global superstar, but the first two titles already applied to Zhou Miao.

Moreover, as Zhang Han knew well, plenty of female celebrities in the entertainment industry were Zhou Miao’s fans. Once, while recording a show, he saw a rather famous actress using Zhou Miao’s photo as her phone wallpaper.

When he asked her about it, she proudly declared him her “husband”—leaving Zhang Han speechless. Zhou Miao was only eighteen, after all.

The time to go onstage was near. After briefly reviewing the script, Zhang Han went up first to prepare the opening.

From the wings, Zhou Miao listened as Zhang Han announced, “Let’s give a warm welcome to Zhou Miao!” and strode onto the stage.

As he appeared, the atmosphere reached its peak. Countless fans shouted his name, faces flushed with excitement, several young girls even bursting into tears.

It’s an illness; they’ll recover in time.

The songs for commercial performances are usually chosen by the organizers. To delight Zhou Miao’s fans, they had selected three love songs: “Lovely Woman,” “The Sun and Moon in My Heart,” and... “Sweetness.”

As Zhou Miao’s voice rang out, he sang from the stage, the fans sang from below—a commercial event transformed into Zhou Miao’s personal concert.

After the three songs, Zhang Han returned to guide the fans and Zhou Miao into a game. Simple enough: toss the embroidered ball, and whoever catches it would receive a princess carry from Zhou Miao himself!

The moment the reward was announced, the fans below went wild, casting aside all notions of decorum, rolling up their sleeves and flexing their arms, ready for action.

With his back to the stage, Zhou Miao tossed the embroidered ball into the crowd, creating a wave of excitement centered around the ball.

“Ha! I got it!” a chubby, cheerful girl weighing nearly two hundred pounds shouted in delight.

As she ascended the stage, Zhou Miao felt the entire platform tremble. He glanced at Zhang Han and whispered, “How am I supposed to manage this?”

“Good luck,” Zhang Han replied, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, giving Zhou Miao an encouraging pat.

The girl stood bashfully on the side, clearly ready and waiting. There was no backing out now.

Zhou Miao swallowed hard, wrapped one arm around her neck, the other beneath her knees, braced himself, took a deep breath, and summoned all his strength from his waist, abdomen, and arms.

“Lift!”

Nope, not happening. I surrender.

Both Zhou Miao and the girl found themselves in an awkward stalemate, while the audience below erupted in laughter.

Helpless, Zhou Miao gave her a big hug and gently escorted her back down.

Fortunately, the audience members who caught the ball in subsequent rounds were much lighter, sparing Zhou Miao further embarrassment. The girls he carried were so overjoyed they nearly burst into tears.

The atmosphere stayed lively, and the event, originally scheduled for forty minutes, lasted well over an hour before concluding.

The organizers were extremely satisfied and expressed hope to invite Zhou Miao again in the future.

Zhou Miao readily agreed, left his contact information with Gu Zhiyin, then joined Zhang Han for a chat.

“Han, I heard your station’s talent show was suspended?” Zhou Miao asked, a mischievous grin on his face.

The mention made Zhang Han even more irritated. Lately, things just hadn’t been going his way. After “Personal Customization,” he decided to play it safe and pulled some strings to secure the hosting spot for next year’s talent show.

But just then, a crackdown hit—all talent shows were put on hold. Whether they’d resume next year was anyone’s guess.

“I’m at a loss. How do all the unlucky things end up happening to me? Do you think I’m cursed?” Zhang Han sighed, frustrated.

“There were signs. Talent shows nowadays have no boundaries—anyone can participate, and after being hyped up, scandals break out everywhere. The impact is terrible; reform was inevitable,” Zhou Miao said, sipping his milk tea.

Zhang Han understood this, though as a host, he couldn’t control much. But seeing Zhou Miao, an idea struck him. “Hey, Zhou, if my show comes back, would you be a judge?”

Zhou Miao nearly choked on his milk tea. “A judge? Forget it. I’d probably end up cursing those effeminate contestants, maybe even getting into fights.”

Zhang Han persisted, “Didn’t you always dislike those types? Come on the show and set them straight!”

The more he spoke, the more excited he became. “I’m telling you, if you’re a judge, ratings will explode! The audience is fed up—they just want to see you tear into them!”

Zhou Miao could only give a wry smile. Had he become the poster boy for sharp-tongued critiques in the public’s eyes?

“Let’s talk about it another time.”